Australia leads in trusted AI service investment, Salesforce
Fri, 19th Jun 2026 (Today)
Salesforce has published research showing Australian service leaders are prioritising investment in customer-facing AI despite regulatory pressure. The survey also found Australia ranks above global averages in trust in AI agents.
Among Australian respondents, 76 per cent said customer-facing AI would be a top spending priority over the next six months. That compared with 61 per cent globally, 68 per cent in the United States, 56 per cent in the UK and 60 per cent in Canada.
The findings come from a survey of 3,075 customer service professionals, including 275 in Australia and 50 in New Zealand. It examined the use of AI agents in service operations and how organisations are balancing adoption with oversight, compliance and workforce changes.
Australia was slightly ahead of the global average in adopting agentic AI, with 13 per cent saying it was already in use, compared with 12 per cent globally. Another 17 per cent of Australian respondents said they expected to adopt it within six months, versus 14 per cent globally.
Globally, use of AI agents in customer service rose to 66 per cent from 39 per cent a year earlier. Some 70 per cent of organisations using AI agents reported measurable value within 60 days.
Compliance pressure
The data points to a heavier compliance burden in Australia than in many other markets. Some 83 per cent of Australian service professionals said regulatory requirements constrained AI deployment, well above the global average of 68 per cent.
Even so, Australian respondents reported relatively high confidence in AI agents handling difficult work. The survey found 80 per cent trusted AI agents for complex troubleshooting, compared with 70 per cent globally, while 74 per cent trusted them for sensitive requests, against a global figure of 65 per cent.
Security concerns also remained elevated, with three quarters of Australian respondents citing heightened concerns, compared with 70 per cent globally.
Australian organisations were also more likely to monitor AI performance. The study found 76 per cent track AI accuracy as a key performance indicator, compared with 66 per cent globally, while 69 per cent track AI adoption rates, five percentage points above the global average.
"Australia is redefining what responsible AI adoption looks like in customer service. While regulatory pressure is real, our local leaders are using it as a design constraint, not a roadblock, directing investment precisely where trust and accuracy matter most: in direct customer interactions," said Leandro Perez, Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer ANZ, Salesforce.
"The fact that Australian service teams lead global benchmarks on AI trust and performance measurement, even as they operate under some of the strictest compliance conditions, tells you this market isn't just adopting AI, it's learning to lead with it."
Workforce changes
The survey also suggests AI is changing how service teams are organised. About 47 per cent of Australian service organisations said they were already adjusting workforce planning in response to AI, while a further 48 per cent said they were planning changes.
Human oversight remains central to that shift. Among Australian service teams using AI, 63 per cent said they already spend more time supervising AI than handling simple customer requests, and 67 per cent expected this to increase over the next six months.
Workers also reported a shift towards more complex tasks. Some 65 per cent of Australian service representatives said they had taken on more strategic or complex work in the past year, compared with 50 per cent globally.
The report identified AI architect, specialist and data management roles as the main areas where respondents expect growth. In Australia, 67 per cent pointed to AI architect roles, 66 per cent to specialist roles and 63 per cent to data management positions.
Regional picture
New Zealand showed a similar pattern of confidence in AI agents alongside regulatory constraints. There, 74 per cent of respondents said regulation was a hurdle, while 80 per cent trusted AI agents for complex troubleshooting and 76 per cent trusted them for sensitive requests.
New Zealand respondents were also more likely to say AI agents had full access to sensitive data. That figure stood at 47 per cent, compared with 32 per cent in Australia and 28 per cent globally.
Case study
Journey Beyond, an Australian travel and experiences business, is already using AI agents across several brands. It has four AI agents in operation supporting guest conversations and extending service availability beyond standard operating hours.
"At Journey Beyond, our approach to Agentforce is centred on improving the guest experience while providing scalable, always-on support across our brands. We now have four AI agents live across multiple brands, supporting thousands of guest conversations and extending service availability beyond traditional operating hours," said Madhumita Mazumdar, Executive General Manager, Technology, Journey Beyond.
"By allowing AI agents to manage common enquiries and initial guest support, our teams can spend more time focused on personalised, high-value interactions that reflect the premium hospitality experience Journey Beyond is known for."